So-called flexures, i.e., small solderable metallic platforms, are used at the ends of optical fibers, such as in manufacturing optical telecommunications components, for support, alignment, and connection purposes. For example, a flexure platform, such as in the form of a flexible four-legged clip member, is connected to an optical fiber and used to orient and align the fiber end to other components, such as to lenses, receiver diodes, and transmitter devices. Prior methods used to connect flexures to optical fibers included hot air or hot gas soldering, as well as hot plate soldering. Such prior soldering methods would require the use of lower melting point solders due to the exposure of the entire optical fiber to excessive heat from the soldering process. However, problems are created when using such lower melting point solders, because over the life of the electronic component, the soldered connection of components can undergo unwanted metallurgical creep, inasmuch as the solder connection is not sufficiently strong. Further, hot plate soldering was disadvantageous because of the difficulty in fixturing and clamping the flexure member and optical fiber relative to the hot plate without at the same time causing undue heat concentration in the optical fiber. Further, there are always safety concerns present for the operator when using a hot plate soldering approach. Also, such prior soldering methods took excessive lengths of time for both preparation and completion, thereby substantially reducing production economies.
There has been an ongoing need for an improved soldering technique that permits rapid soldering of flexures to optical fibers without heat damage of the fiber, and which soldering technique can be rapidly achieved.